Silent as Smoke
by Nightmares-N-Daydreams
Summary: A thief in the night. What happens when he gets caught? Rated M for future chapters. Yoai. AkuRoku.
1. Chapter 1

I scaled the wall easily; it was basics at this point. Besides, I'd been here before. Just a simple scoping out of the land, but still; I did my job well. I knew what I had to do and where I had to go.

I ease myself to the ground, landing on the balls of my feet. As soon as they touch the soft grass, I take off running, keeping low to the ground.

My hand stays on my right thigh, where my dagger is kept in its sheath. My other hand guides me along the wall in the darkness. Finally, I find the tree I was looking for and reach up for a branch. I quickly climb up, utilizing the natural hand holds in the bark. I find a branch with a good view of the house and rest there.

I watch the house from my spot across the courtyard. It's quiet, the servants' quarters dark. A maid walks past a window on the top floor. The bottom floor seems silent. Perfect.

I jump down from the tree and land noiselessly in a crouch on the ground. I dart across the yard, keeping to the shadows; not that it was hard. This house was practically begging to be looted. No security, no lights, few people, and all the silver I could steal.

I reach the house and easily open a window, sliding in silently. My eyes take a moment to adjust before I realize I'm in what must be a meal room. I open my pack and start quickly and quietly throwing in any valuables I see. I throw open cabinets and drawers, dumping anything I find into my sack. All of my lessons are repeating in my head; get in, get out.

I move my search to the next room and discover a grand staircase. I contemplate going up. The image of a loot-filled master bedroom makes up my mind. I swiftly climb the stairs and make my way down the hall. I slow outside a door that I assume to be the master bedroom. Stopping, my back against the wall, I listen for any signs of a person in the room. I hear none. I slowly move my head around the doorframe. I am met with a huge bedroom, empty of people. Just my luck.

I slink into the room and move to the large dresser. An assortment of men's jewelry lay scattered. As the make their way into my bag, one falls to the ground. It lands on the stone part of the floor and elicits a small noise as it bounces. I reach down to pick it up. It's much smaller than the other men's rings I had found, more delicate. Tiny silver wires encased a jagged, red and orange stone. It reminded me of smoke encircling a flame. I stick it in my pants pocket so as not to lose it.

As I turn to leave, something suddenly sweeps my feet out from under me. My head hits the dresser as I fall to the stone floor, stunning me slightly.

"Nngh…" I groan. I have no time to recover before my attacker sinks a knee into the small of my back, pinning me to the ground. My face is pressed into the area rug. It smells faintly of something burnt. It reminds me of a crisp, autumn air.

"Well, well." a smooth voice says next to my ear. It brings me out of my daze. "It seems I've caught a mouse." He moves so the weight of his entire body is on mine. "I hate mice."

I move to reach for my dagger. My hand barely twitches before I feel a blade at my neck.

"Tsk, tsk. I wouldn't do that, Roxas." the smooth voice mocks. I freeze.

"Ho-…how do you know my name?" I ask.

"You don't think I follow up on every little mouse that makes its way into my territory? I must have flinched. He continues, "Yes, I saw you the other night. It seems you really quite fancy my house."

I struggle to get him off of me. The knife presses harder on my neck; I stop.

"Ah-ah. What are we doing, Roxas?"

"Let me up so I can fight you."

"Now _why_ would I do that?"

"Kill me then."

"That's just too simple, darling." He emphasized this with a finger tracing down my neck. I would've sworn it was hotter that any other normal human finger.

"Nngh…What the hell are you doing, freak?"

"The name's Axel" His fingers slowly tangle themselves in my hair. He makes a fist and pulls my head back so I'm forced to look at him for the first time. Blazing green eyes lock on mine. "Got it memorized?"

I attempt to spit in his face, but because of the awkward angles it lands on the side of his cheek.

"Heh, heh." He laughs, wiping it off. The blade disappears from under my throat and my hair is freed. My head falls back to the carpet. I groan as I hit the same part of my skull that hit the dresser. I wince as I feel my head rolled to the side.

"You've _bled_ on my _carpet,_ Roxas."

I open my eyes to see a small, red stain on the carpet beneath me.

"_Cry_ about it." I mumble into the rug, my head throbbing. I must've cut it on the way down before.

"What was that, Roxas?" He gently strokes my head, but even that causes me to hiss in pain.

"Awh. Poor Roxy." He whispers, pressing his lips to my bloodied temple.

"What the—?" My question is cut short as I elbow Axel in the head as hard as I can, which wasn't very. Still, it's enough to push him back which gives me the chance to roll over, although I'm still mostly underneath him. I immediately punch him in the face before he recovers.

A grin stretches over his face as he rubs his jaw. I reach for my dagger again. It slides out of its sheath and I manage to graze his arm. He curses and grabs my wrist, swiftly getting possession of my dagger. He pins my wrists to the floor on either side of my head.

A ridiculous crosses his face as he stares down at me. A knee moves up to cover my elbow as he lifts his arm up, assessing the damage. His tongue reaches out to meet the wound, slowly licking its length. He appears slightly unbalanced and I take the opportunity to try to knock him over. He laughs at my attempt and swiftly shifts his position. With both of his knees now on my elbows, he presses my own dagger to my neck. It presses into the skin, drawing a few drops of blood.

"Heh. I knew I shouldn't have put my knife away." He continues grinning. I continue glaring, pinned to the floor, his weight on my chest.

"Well now what, if you're not going to kill me?"

"I haven't decided yet…" He contemplates. "Well, first things first." He leans down to my ear and whispers, "You have something of mine." As he says this, his free hand reaches behind him. His hand slowly reaches into my pocket to retrieve something. I stifle a surprised moan as his hand brushes against my groin.

_ What the hell was that?1 Did I like that? I didn't like that. …What was that?_ I panic.

He gently kisses my earlobe as he gets back up, his hand retreating from my pocket with a small ring; the one I tried to steal from him earlier.

"You sure know what to look for, kid."

"I'm no rookie after all." I shoot back. "And don't call me kid."

"Then why…" He leans down, our faces inches from each other. "are you currently pinned to the floor, Shorty?" I can feel his hot breath against my face.

Blood rushes to my cheeks and I try to tell myself that it's out of anger. I push against his knees, trying to get him off of me. Finally, I give up. I look up at him.

"Why are you so fat?" I ask.

"Don't call me fat just 'cause you're short. besides, I've totally been watching what I've been eating."

I could easily think of ten other places I'd rather be than pinned to the floor, talking about my captor's eating habits. I had to get out of here. What time was it? I was supposed to meet Larxene at one with my night's steal. I looked at the clock in the corner of the room. 1:30 a.m. Shit.

Axel notices my distraction.

"Need to be somewhere, Roxas?" Our faces are still inches apart. "Unfortunately, I think you might be a little late." And his lips crash into mine.


	2. Chapter 2

His warm lips press hard into mine. I lay trapped against the floor, unable to black away. I try to turn my head away, but he reminds me of the knife against my throat. He continues assaulting my mouth as I push against his knees in an attempt to get my arms loose.

His tongue traces my bottom lip, asking for entrance. He receives none. Instead, I throw my hips upward, trying to push him off. I hear him moan into the kiss as I press against him. I immediately stop my struggling when I realize my retaliation simply turned him on more. I go completely limp underneath him.

He notices the change. In an attempt to spark a reaction in me, he runs his free hand through my hair. I remain immobile. He shifts his weight so that he's practically lying on me again. Me plan doesn't seem to be working. With his knees gone, my arms are free to push against his chest. It does nothing.

His teeth graze against my lower lip. They gently begin to pull on it. I still refuse to let him in. Finally, he bites down and a surprised yelp escapes me. He seizes the opportunity and the foreign tongue is in my mouth. My hands tighten around the soft fabric of Axel's shirt.

I can't breathe. I feel as though I'm being smothered. I struggle against Axel above me. His hand snakes around my waist and lands softly at my lower back.

"Relax." He breathes into my mouth. I lie there, breathing hard, as his hand moves under my shirt and guides my body up to meet his. I moan at the contact.

His tongue traces the small cuts he created along my throat with my dagger. His lips begin sucking at the skin at the base of my neck. I arch my neck, moaning again. My hands begin to roam around Axel's chest, feeling to muscles underneath the fabric of his shirt. He takes one of my hands in his. He touches his lips to my wrist and places my hand behind his head, followed by the other one.

With both of my arms now draped over his neck, his lips now move back to my own. It seems deeper, more eager, than before. His tongue invades and explores my mouth, but it feels different. Nicer. My fingers twine themselves in Axel's surprisingly soft spikes. Axel's hands seem to be everywhere: under my shirt, on my chest, trailing down my back, playing with the waistband of my pants. I don't know when he got rid of my knife. It's nowhere to be seen. I spot my sack a few feet away. Our embrace continues to deepen, Axel loosing himself more and more.

I moan and Axel deepens the kiss, pressing his body into mine. We roll over; I'm now straddling his hips. In one swift motion I scoop up my sack, break off the kiss, and bolt out the door. I sprint down the hallway and slide down the banister. I jump off and before I even hit the ground, I'm already running to the door.

I'm outside. I run blindly, without a destination. Finally, I stop, leaning against a wall, breathing hard.

_What….was that?_

Eventually I look around me, my heart still trying to jump out of my chest. I realize I know where I am. The meeting spot isn't far from here. I start jogging toward an alley to meet Larxene.

The entire way, I try to convince myself that I imagined the hurt and lonely look on Axel's face as I left him.

* * *

_*CRACK*_ I can't see straight. I fall to one knee, unsteady. I think my eyebrow is split.

"I _said_ 1:30."

I slowly stand back up, trying to ignore the pain in my head. I look Larxene in the eye and spit at her feet, some blood in the saliva.

Luckily, with the exception of an ice cold glare, she ignores my retaliation. She moves her attention to the bag I managed to grab on my way out of Axel's house. Most of it had fallen out.

"Well, it's not much, but what you got is good." She continues rifling through the sack. She stops.

Her hand comes out with a large, silver goblet. There's a intricate design on the front, a crest or something.

"Where did you get this?" She continues staring at the cup. It takes me a moment for her question to register. I haven't answered fast enough. Suddenly I'm thrown up against the alley wall; she's shoving the cup in my face.

"_Where_ did you get this?" She asks again. I point in the direction I came from, too afraid to speak.

"_Never—_" She slams he goblet against the wall next to my head. "go there. Ever again. Am I understood?"

"Y-yes, Larxene." I nod.

She lets me go and walks away, loot in hand, without saying another word. I suppose I'm on my own for finding a place to stay tonight.

That's when I remember that my dagger is back at Axel's. The very place I was just forbid to go.


	3. Chapter 3

I needed that dagger back. Larxene can't find out I've lost it; I'd be dead. I've been trying to get back to that house for days. Every time I turn though, Larxene is watching me like a hawk. What's her deal? I have to get back to his house. I wonder what he's doing now…

"Roxas!" I jump as Larxene barks my name. I look up from the food I was moving around my paper plate. She's right in front me, glaring down. Shit. How'd she get so close without me noticing? I need to stop thinking about Axel. It's affecting my ability to do my job.

"Why," she continues, shoving a bag in front of my face. The clanking of metal can be heard as she shakes it. "Has your share of intake been so small these past few days? You're my best thief. This is pitiful." I knew this was coming. Without a weapon, I've been forced to scrounge for even the smallest steals. She leans down to my ear and whispers tauntingly, "We wouldn't want something to happen to Sora, would we?"

I jump up, ready to attack, but Larxene's finger lands at the base of my neck; it hovers above my skin. I can feel the tingling of electricity coming off her finger, even from inches away.

"Leave my brother **out** of this."

"I can't do that, Roxas." She smirks. "And don't forget," Her hand gets closer to my skin. "I **am** the one who saved you two." I hiss in pain as a spark is let into my chest, Larxene's smirk widening. She releases me and turns.

"Get out of here." She says without looking at me. "And don't come back without an acceptable steal."

I stand there for a moment, staring, before I recover and begin jogging away. Perfect. She was leaving me alone.

I run my hand through my hair as I jog away. Ew. First things first, I needed a shower. My hair was probably sticking up even worse than usual.

I jog around for a while, trying to look inconspicuous. Finally, I get lucky. I see a guy with ridiculous hair leaving his house, an instrument case in his hand. He walks down the road and turns the corner. He probably wouldn't be coming home anytime soon. As soon as he's out of sight, I run toward the house. I find a back door and easily pick the lock. The door swings open.

I explore the house, keeping the candles out. It was pretty huge, although not as large as Axel's. Shit. Why was I comparing it to Axel's? I shake my head, trying to get him out of it.

Shower. Right. I walk up a set of stairs and find a bathroom on the right. I turn he shower on, letting the water run as I undress. I find a towel and throw it over the curtain rod as I jump under the water.

"Mmmmm…" I hum loudly as the hot water hits me. Showers. Best things ever. I run my hands through my hair, trying not to think about how long it's been since I've taken a shower. When I'm done, I just stand there under the water, relishing in its warmth.

***Snap*** Suddenly the water goes ice cold.

"Yahh!" I half shriek, stumbling out of the way of the water. I grab the towel, wrapping it around myself and I practically fall out of the shower.

The guy with ridiculous is standing there. We stare at each other for a moment.

"Dude! Why you in my shower?"

_That wasn't even proper English, _I observe.

"I…uh, needed a shower." I'm unsure of what else to way.

"Wh—…How—… Why are you in my house?"

"I don't know! It was nothing personal! Your house just happened to be free."

"We—…I—…What….ever. Whatever. Just…get dressed." He turns and walks out of the door, flustered. I stand there a moment, confused, then shrug and proceed to dress myself.

When I'm finished, I slowly open the door, looking for signs of attack. Instead, the smell of bacon fills my nose, my mouth begins to water. My feet carry me toward the scent. I find myself in a kitchen filled with food. Delicious-looking food.

"Eat," the man orders. I sit at a table and begin to devour the food in front of me. Finally, I can't handle it anymore.

"You're taking this 'weird-kid-in-my-shower' thing rather…wel." I say, my mouth stuffed full.

"Myeah. You're probably right. I ought to call for a patrolman." He says, still cooking. I immediately tense. "Relax. I'm not going to." I continue eyeing him, relaxing only slightly. He goes back to cooking.

I take a bit of food, savoring the taste. Bacon. Sora used to love bacon. Before…

"Sora…" I sigh.

"Cool. I'm Demyx." The guy says, pointing to himself. I realize he's talking. He must've asked me my name. Oh well.

"So why are you being so nice to me?" I ask.

"Let's just say I've been where you are."

I look around at his house. He must've noticed my skepticism.

"I've since upgraded." He says in explanation, throwing a pancake on my plate. I devour it. "Calm down, dude. You're going to give yourself a stomach ache." I sneeze and rub my nose.

"Oh. Sorry, man. That's probably my fault." Demyx apologizes. I pull my black cloak tighter around me. Demyx stares at it. I clear my throat.

"Er…Well…Thanks. I better be going though…"

"Right. Right." Demyx pulls himself back. "You probably should." He leads me to the front door; most likely to be sure I wasn't stealing anything on the way. Before I leave, he puts a hand out, blocking my way.

"If…if you ever need anything…my house is open." He says. I nod and turn to leave.

_Well that was weird…_I pull my hood up and begin walking in the direction of Axel's mansion. Once in the vicinity, I look around to be sure that Larxene hasn't been following me. I appear to be alone.

I climb the wall, just as before. The sun is disappearing behind the mountains. I jump down, following a similar path to the one I used the other night. I enter the same window; the room is dark. I listen for people, hear none, and make my way up the staircase.

Slowly, I walk the corridor toward his room, stopping outside. I edge my way around the door frame. The room is empty. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

A small candle flickers beside the bed. He must be here somewhere…

Something catches the light on the bed. I move toward it. My dagger lies atop the bed as if waiting for me; as if he knew I would come for it. Slowly, I pick it up and slide it into its sheath.

Suddenly I turn, thinking I heard something. There's nothing there. I move toward his window and open it. A small gust of wind blows the candle out. I scale down the wall, using the bricks as hand holds.

I make my way across the courtyard and begin the climb over the wall. I pause at the top, looking back at his window. It's close. I hesitate another moment and then climb slowly down the rest of the wall.

I shake my head, clearing it. Proper steal. Right. I needed to get on that. No way could I face Larxene without it.

I jog toward the nearest alley, turn the corner, and come face to face with said angry Larxene.


	4. Chapter 4

"Roxas, Roxas." Larxene chides in that awful voice of hers. I'm using the wall to prop myself up as I hold the side of my head. I slowly recover from her blow and stand tall to face her. She continues talking, slowly circling around me.

"You never could follow instructions." She jokes, as if we're old friends. Her laugh sounds lighthearted. I know otherwise. She's behind me now. Something hits the back of my leg, forcing me to my knees. I wince as they hit the ground. "Such a shame." She whispers in my ear. She moves in front of me again. A finger trails around me neck, leaving a line of pain behind. I ignore it, glaring up at her.

"You were my best, Roxas." She almost sounds sad. "But you couldn't listen." She leans in close. "Not even for Sora." I can't keep my composure; I snap.

I charge at her, pinning her against the wall. My arm is against her throat, constricting her breathing. My dagger is inches from her eye. Still, that knowing smirk is glued to her face.

"Where? I ask. "Where is he?"

She just laughs. She knows she's won. I'm already dead and no one will be there to save Sora.

_Sora…_

Her cackle breaks my thought. I'm pushed away by a shock of electricity. I notice that she's taken her knives out. It's begun. or perhaps it's already ended. It doesn't matter. Is it even worth it to fight back? I can't win. She owns me.

And she knows it.

She throws one of her knives at me. It grazes my arm, ripping my shirt. She notices my lack of response.

"C'mon, Roxas. It'll simply be no fun if you don't even try." She throws another that I block this time, my eyes black with hatred. She laughs, enjoying every minute. It echoes down the alley.

I move in to jab at her ribs. She grabs my arm and twists it, forcing me to the ground again. I yell out in pain as my dagger falls from my grasp.

I throw my foot backward and it comes in contact with her ankle. She stumbles, losing her grip on my arm. I reach for my dagger, but before I can grab it her foot lands on my wrist. I hear something crack.

I swing at her with my left hand. Miss. Her foot lifts from my arm to collide with the side of my head. I land hard on my back, staring up at the dark sky.

_So few stars out tonight…_

Larxene steps into my blurred vision, smirking down at me. I roll over. Before I can get up, Larxene's foot meets my stomach with a blow that causes me to fall, facedown, back to the ground. I gasp for breath.

"You always were a control freak." a voice says.

That voice. I cough, spitting blood onto the ground, and look toward its source. He's standing, leaning against the alley wall, arms crossed.

Larxene spins to face him, already glaring. She stands there a moment.

"If I recall correctly, you weren't exactly a **pushover** either." She finally says. He says nothing, but I swear something flashed in his eyes. Anger? Just as quickly, he is composed again, nonchalant.

"We're not discussing **my** crazy here, sis." He says. I half choke and spit more blood onto the gravel. I'm having difficulty breathing.

"What do you want, **brother**?" She spits the last part at him. I can no longer hold myself up, my face is in the dirt. There are black spots at the edges of my vision, though I can still see Axel.

"I haven't" he says, "decided yet."

His hand twitches and an object appears in it. A weapon; huge, circular, and spiked. He leisurely pushes himself off the wall and steps away from it, weapon in hand. Larxene takes a step backward.

_Did…did Larxene just retreat? Who is this guy?_

"Axel…" She starts.

"What is it, sis?" He asks. She throws a dagger at him. He blocks it and stops to look at her, hesitating a moment.

"Why bring the chakrams out?" She asks innocently. He smirks.

With a wordless cry, he hurdles a flaming chakram at Larxene. She jumps and rolls out of its path just in time. They continue fighting.

"I've wanted to do this for years." He tells her.

"What finally caused you to do it?" She asks. He doesn't stop his attack, but I swear his eyes flicker toward mine. Larxene hasn't missed it. She blocks him and steps away, her laugh echoing down the alley into the shadows.

"Does Axel Lea think he has a **heart**?" She asks with a cackle. Axel says nothing.

She moves toward me, rolls me over onto my back with her foot. I cry out at my broken wrist hits the ground. Axel takes a step forward.

"Perhaps I should've killed you before." She says down to me. She smirks at Axel, four new knives behind her back.

I hear him yell, see him charge at her, and then the world goes black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: I'hm so sorry that this has taken so long. D: I've been so busy with college applications. :P AND THEN I REALIZED I LEFT YOU WITH A CLIFFHANGER! I'm awful. BUT! I have two more finished chapters. So they'll be a-comin'.

* * *

**

There's something covering me; soft, warm. I'm warm. _Where am I?_ I never want to move, it's so comfortable. Wait. There's a pain in my wrist. And my head….Why?

My eyes open to darkness. It's unfamiliar. There's a candle flickering beside the bed. That's familiar. There's a memory there.

"How do you feel?" He steps out from the shadows. I try to lift my head to look at him.

"Uuuuuuugh." My head falls back to the pillow. The world takes a moment to stop spinning.

"Take it easy." He says. Stubborn, I try again; slowly this time. I'm able to eventually sit up, wincing at a pain in my side. I look at Axel. His face is blank, completely unreadable. _What is he thinking?_ He opens his mouth as if to say something, closes it, and then opens it again.

"Who's Sora?" he asks. I had been inspecting the bandages on my wrist. At his question, my eyes snap up to look at him. I say nothing. "You were talking in your sleep." He explains. I continue ignoring his question. I try to switch the subject. "Larxene called you 'brother'." I remember. This time it's his turn to be silent.

"Yeah," he says finally. "It's a long story. "Well, I suppose not…She's my sister."

"Your—"

"We're not talking about this." He cuts me off. "She's not going to be bothering you anymore anyway." My eyes open wide at his words.

"She's dead?" I ask, panicking.

"Yes." He responds. "You sound upset."

"Oh, no." My heart drops. "No, no, no." I get off the bed and move toward the door.

"Roxas, she was going to kill you!"

I ignore him and stumble down the stairs. Axel is following behind me, I hear him behind me. I'm not sure what I plan to do. It's not as if I can revive the dead. There is a pain in my head and the world spins. I fall against the wall. When I look up, I realize I'm in a room with a fireplace. There are couches and armchairs too; one is inhabited by someone facing away.

"Roxas—" I hear Axel come in behind me.

"…Demyx?" I ask. The world won't stay still.

"Sora?" He turns and sees me.

"Roxas?" Axel is confused. "Demyx? What are you doing here?"

"I was bored." He says. "What's Sora doing here? And why does he look like he's about to keel over?"

"Sora?" Axel asks. Demyx points at me.

"Roxas." Axel says.

"What's that?" Demyx asks.

"His name." Axel explains. "His name is Roxas."

"He told me it was Sora." Demyx says.

They both turn to look at me; and then the floor rushes up to meet me.

* * *

"I haven't seen him in two years." I'm sitting on one of Axel's couches, tea in hand. "There was a fire. When we were younger, I mean. I managed to get Sora out. My parents weren't so lucky…" I think back, remembering every detail. "There was no moon out that night…" A tear rolls down my cheek. Axel had gotten up and was now staring out his window.

"Larxene. She found us; offered us food, shelter. She just wanted me to steal for her, join the Organization. At first, I refused. She would threaten me. There were times when I would take Sora and try to run. I always came back. She knew I was dependent on her. I needed her.

Finally, she took Sora from me. She held him over my head; forcing me to steal, cheat, lie. I haven't seen him since he was 14. I'm not even positive he's still alive. Larxene promised we'd both be free when I turned 18. I had three months left…"

"So now…you don't know where he is." Demyx says. I shake my head. "Shit…Well, do we know anything? Did she ever give you any clues?" I shake my head again, thinking of nothing.

"Marluxia." Axel says, still staring out the window. He turns, but still doesn't look at me.

"Do you know where he is?" Demyx asks.

"No," Axel says. "But he shouldn't be hard to find."

Demyx and I look at each other. Axel moves to leave the room. He stops, turns, and looks at us.

"H—…How do you two know each other?" Axel asks.

"He stole my shower." Demyx says at the same time that I say, "He made me dinner."

Axel raises and eyebrow and walks away, saying nothing. Demyx and I look at each other again. Demyx shrugs and gets up to follow. I limp after him. We end up in a dark room; Axel is lighting candles. Slowly, the room becomes visible. Weapons line the walls: swords, knives, crossbows.

"Axel, you said you got rid of these." Demyx crosses his arms.

"I lied."

"But you don't even need them." Demyx protests.

"They're not for me." He turns to me. "Take your pick." I look around me, more questions in my head than I thought possible. My hand closes around the hilt of a sword next to me. I take it off the wall, testing it. I turn to Axel.

"Okay, your turn." I say. "Explain." A shadow covers Axel's face. He says nothing as he turns and begins blowing out candles.

"How do you know so much about the Organization? Why do you have all this stuff?"

"It's unimportant." He blows out the final flame, leaving me in darkness.

"Why are you trusting me?" I ask an empty room before following after Axel and Demyx.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I'm on a role tonight. Enjoy. Reviews are much loved.

* * *

**

I can't sit still. It's been weeks since Larxene dies. Axel is always gone. He says he's finding information on Marluxia, but I think he's just avoiding my questions. I spend my days sparring with Demyx; I've gotten quite good at using the sword Axel gave to me. My wrist has mostly healed; I'm beating Demyx more often.

Axel thinks Marluxia is going to come to us when he realizes we've killed Larxene. I hope I'm ready for it. I hope he knows where Sora is…I hope Sora's okay.

I wish I could talk to Axel. He won't tell me anything. I wander into the kitchen; Demyx is there cooking. Suddenly a thought comes into my head.

"You were in the Organization, weren't you?" The question bursts from my lips, surprising us both. Demyx jumps and spins to face me, spilling the soup he was preparing in the process. He rushes to fix it.

"Roxas! Don't sneak up on me like that." Demyx laughs nervously.

"Sorry." I smile sadly. _I am a thief after all…_

"It's no problem." He says. "So what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"You and Axel." I says slowly. "You were both part of the Organization." It comes out more like a statement. Demyx's eyes go wide.

"I-I think you ought to talk to Axel about th—"

"Oh, come off it. You know he won't tell me anything. I deserve to know." I cut him off. Demyx sighs.

"Yes," he says reluctantly. "We were both members of the Organization."

"But no longer." I say.

"Correct."

"Why did you join in the first place?" I ask.

"Roxas, I really think you should wait and talk to—"

"Demyx! Come one!"

"I guess…maybe you're right…" Demyx is giving in.

"You didn't join on your own." I guess. Demyx nods.

"Axel," he says. "He was joining. I'm not even sure why I followed him really."

"Why did Axel want to join?" I ask.

"It's not so much that he wanted to join." He says.

"He was forced?" I ask.

"More like he was expected to." He explains. I must look confused. Demyx sighs. "He's gunna kill me." I glare at him, letting him know that he's not getting away without telling me. He continues, "You've heard of Xemnas."

I nod. _The leader of the Organization…_

"Well…he's Axel's step-father." Demyx says. "And let's just say he was never a very loving father-figure." He goes on cooking as he talks. "Especially after his mother died…"

"What happened to his real father?" I ask quietly. Demyx shakes his head.

"No one knows. Just disappeared one day." He says.

"So Xemnas wanted Axel to join the Organization."

"Essentially." Demyx says.

"So why did you join?" I ask again.

"Looking back, I'm not too sure." he says. "I think my plan was to protect Axel? Which if you know either of us, that's an absurd idea." Demyx sighs.

"Well, I guess it's good that I joined." he says. I look at him quizzically.

"Axel…had a hard time." Demyx explains. I wait for him to continue. "He got a lot of crap for being Xemnas' step-son. As much as he didn't want to join in the first place, he really began to get into it; trying to prove himself, I guess. He started to lose himself. He soon became a respected member of the Organization; not an easy thing to do." He pauses for a moment, looking at me. "Imagine Larxene, but three times worse." I'm silent for a second, my eyes wide.

"Did Larxene have the same treatment?" I ask.

"Hell, no." Demyx says. "Larxene joined the Organization as soon as she could. Anything to please _Daddy_." Demyx says bitterly.

"So Axel and Larxene are only—"

"Half-siblings." Demyx finishes, nodding.

"So…why was it goof that you joined?" I ask, confused.

"There was a time when I barely even knew Axel anymore. If I wasn't there to pull him back, I think he would've just lost himself completely."

"That's when you guys left the Organization?"

Something crosses Demyx's face, but I can't place it.

"I think you need to talk to Axel about that one." He says.

He leaves the room before I get a chance to protest and I'm left to ponder what he said. I don't understand why Axel wouldn't tell me about that. It's not as if I wouldn't understand…but what did Demyx mean by that last part?

I make up my mind; I'm going to find him. I walk up the stairs to his room. When I look inside, there's no one there. It's freezing though; the window is open. I go to close it and stop. A figure is outside in the dark, lighting up the night with bursts of fire. I see a flash of red hair as the figure flips and spins. I run back down the steps and out the front door. I silently peer around the corner to watch.

Axel is angrily fighting to air; jabbing, kicking, jumping. All the while, he's throwing fire that extinguishes itself before hitting anything. Finally he throws one more blast with a loud yell. For a moment, he stays frozen in that final position, fist still thrown outward, panting. He takes a step back, lowering his hand, still breathing hard.

I step out from behind the house so he can see me. He says nothing, still catching his breath.

"We need to talk." I tell him. He puts his head in his hands.

"Roxas—"

"No! You're not getting away with not telling me this time." I say. " I need to know."

Axel shakes his head, running his hand through his hair.

"At least tell me why you're doing this. I say. "You can't run away from this again!" I yell when he turns away. I move toward him.

"Roxas, please." He says. I ignore him.

"Why are you helping me?" I ask. I can hear myself yelling, pleading, but I can't stop. "Why are you trusting me?"

Axel abruptly closes the distance between us and takes my face in his hands, his mouth moving down to meet my lips.

At first the kiss is violent, hungry. His lips are warm, just as I remember. They become more gently, softer. When my hand moves up to run itself through his hair, he grabs my wrist in midair. The kiss is broken and he pushes himself away from me. The look on Axel's face is incredulous, his eyes wide and confused. I stare back at him.

"I'm sorry." he backs away.

"Axel?"

"I shouldn't have done that." He says.

"Axel." I say again. I see that his eyes are glistening. "Axel…talk to me."

* * *

**Next chapter in Axel's PoV? :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**AXEL"S PoV**

_Hands grip my arms, keeping me in place. I see Demyx a little bit away. He's hanging in Xaldin's grip, his mouth bleeding, his eye swollen shut. I feel Lexaeus' fist make contact with my stomach again. My breath leaves me and I fall to my knees, the two sets of hands on my arms the only thing keeping me from just falling into the dirt. With effort, I look up. Xemnas is standing a few feet away, his back to us. _

_ "Why?" I scream at him. "Why are you doing this?" Larxene skips up to me, cackling._

_ "Silly Axel," she says. "No one __leaves__ the Organization."_

_ "But this is mad!" I say. "It's one thing to steal for profit, but to murder an innocent family? What are we doing?"_

_ "We're showing people what happens when they try to pry into the Organization." Larxene says._

_ "Why do you need us? Why do we need to be a part of this?" I plead. "Just let us go…that's all we wanted." I hear Xemnas laugh. He turns, grinning at me. He moves to stand in front of me._

_ "You're not just going to be a __part__ of it." He says. "You get to play Executioner." My eyes go wide at his words._

_ "I'd __die__ first." I spit at him. He laughs, walking away._

_ "Oh. I wouldn't kill you." he goes on. He moves next to Xaldin, grabbing Demyx's hair and pulling his head back, exposing his neck. "I couldn't say the same for Demyx here…" He traces a line across Demyx's neck._

_ "You wouldn't." I glare up at him._

_ "And why not?" He asks. He nods at whoever is behind me; the grip on my arms loosens and hands push me forward. I fall to the ground. _

_ "Get up." Xemnas orders. I do, coughing. I straighten up to face him._

_ "You're going to set fire to this house." He explains. "Oh, and do try to make it look natural." He strokes Demyx's hair, looking down at him. "Or your friend here will have his final night of life." He motions toward the house and I turn to face it. Slowly, I start the walk across the field toward my target._

_ After taking a few steps, though, I abruptly turn to attack the closest Organization member. I throw fire almost blindly. I think I manage to injure three before I'm face to face with Larxene in a matter of just a few seconds. We spin around each other, neither able to achieve the upper hand._

_ I hear Demyx cry out in pain and swiftly stop to face him. Just as swiftly, Larxene is behind me, her arm reaching up to lay her blade against my neck._

_ Demyx's arm is being twisted behind his back by Xaldin. Xaldin flicks his wrist and Demyx screams._

_ "Axel!" He falls to his knees._

_ "Perhaps my intent was not clear, Axel." Xemnas is in front of me again. I glare at him from behind Larxene's knife. "No more games. Unless you wish Demyx, here, to suffer." As if on cue, Demyx cries out again. Larxene presses her blade harder into my skin._

_ "Do it." She whispers into my ear. The knife disappears and I'm pushed forward again. I stand looking at the house, knowing one way or another it won't be there by the time dawn arrives. Even in the dark, moonless night I can see the things that will perish; the small porch, the huge front door, even the toys I can see near the side of the house. They'll all be gone. I hear a whimper come from behind me and I know it's Demyx trying not to scream again. I step forward. I stare at the house before me, but I don't see it._

_ Instead, images flash before my eyes. First, it's people I hate; Larxene, Xemnas, Xaldin. Then it's things they've done; to me, to other people. Then it's things __I've__ done. The images get faster and worse. I'm getting more and more angry, but they won't stop. Demyx's scream breaks through my thoughts._

_ "RAAAAAAAAGH!" Fire bursts from my hands and refuses to stop. The once dark night is set ablaze. I don't know how long it is before I slow down. _

_ I'm kneeling before the flaming house. I realize tears are streaming down my face. I wonder when that started. I hear cheering behind me. _

_ I notice two small figures running away from the burning building. __Children…__ I sincerely hope no one behind me saw them._

_ I'm kick in the back and pushed forward to my hands and knees. Another foot meets my stomach and I land hard on my side. I roll onto my back, coughing. _

_ "Farewell, __brother__." Larxene says before twirling away._

_

* * *

_I stare at Axel, his outline barely visible in the darkness. I go over the story in my head. I match up the house, the fire, the children. The moon. I realize what he's telling me. I back away, slowly shaking my head. My eyes are still wide.

"No." I say. "No…" If I keep saying it, it won't be true.

"Roxas." He steps toward me. I throw my hand out to stop him. He freezes.  
"You…" I don't know what to say.

"Please understand." He pleads. I look at him incredulously.

"You killed my parents!" I scream. He flinches. "You put me and Sora out on the streets for four years!" Even in the darkness, I can see the look on Axel's face; it's full of hurt, loneliness, and regret. Still, I can't stop myself from continuing. "You're the reason I haven't seen my brother in two years!"

"Roxas." He steps forward again. "I'm sorr—"

"No." I cut him off. "…no." I turn and sprint back around the house. Without realizing it, I unconsciously climb up the tree and over the wall; the same way I escaped when I was just a simple thief.


	8. Chapter 8

It's odd how one thing— one event or fact or change— can alter a person's life so absolutely.

The Organization affected my life long before Larxene grabbed us off the street. My parents were not simply killed in a fire…

_They were murdered._

The fact echoes in my head. One change, one new piece of information and my life is completely different from what I once thought.

I've spent the last two weeks trying to find my brother. Needless to say, I've not succeeded. I keep pushing the fact that I know I can't do this without Axel to the back of my head. I try my hardest not to think of him.

I'm sitting in an alley, staring at the wall of brick before me. I squeeze my eyes shut, dropping my head into my hands. _I can't handle this. I don't even know what to think anymore!_ Frustrated, I kick the wall in front of me. I stand there a moment, and idea forming in my head. Of course…

I begin walking toward Demyx's house, wondering why I hadn't thought of this before. I can try to find information about Marluxia without having to see Axel.

Axel. Just one thought of him and I'm completely confused. An image flashes into my mind, his warm lips on mine. I'm filled with an uncontrollable rage that I don't know what to do with. Aim it at myself? There's something else though.

I don't understand it. How could I feel something and not know what it is?

I stand in front of Demyx's house, remembering the last time I was here. I walk up the stone steps and open the front door.

"Demyx!" I yell. There's no answer. I walk down the hall, looking into empty rooms. I yell Demyx's name again. I hear something come from the back of the house, the kitchen. I walk in, expecting Demyx.

"Demy—" I stop short in the doorway to the kitchen. The backdoor is open; a figure's hand is still on the doorknob, his back to me. He's the mirror image of myself, caught halfway out the door as he tried to leave.

"Axel?" He slowly turns to face me. "Why are you leaving?" I don't know why I ask.

"I didn't think you'd want to see me…" He looks away. I realize he's right. All of my anger is returning. I don't know what to do with it.

I look at Axel's face. He looks terrible. I can tell he hasn't been sleeping. He looks exhausted, and devastated. I feel a pain in my chest and realize I've missed him. I don't understand. I'm so confused.

My knees give out and I feel myself about to fall. Axel rushes to catch me. I push him away and stagger backward, ignoring the pained look on Axel's face.

"Don't touch me" My voice cuts though the air, stopping him. He slowly lets his hands fall back to his sides.

"Roxas—"

"No." I stop him. I fight back angry tears.

"Please." He pleads. "Just let me explain."

"Nothing you can say will change what you've done." I say, trying to keep my voice even.

"You're right," he says.' "So please listen to what I'm saying now." I turn and walk back toward the front of the house. Axel continues to plead with me. "Please, Roxas! Please, listen to me." I turn abruptly to face him.

"You? Listen to you?" I exclaim. "You, who tore my world apart? You, who burned my home to the ground?" I feel hot tears streaking down my face. A look of turmoil plagues Axel's expression. It doesn't stop me.

"You murdered my parents."

"Roxas, I—"

"You left a 12 and 13 year old boy to fend for themselves." I can hear my voice; it's like ice. With each accusation I see the hurt and guilt grow in Axel's emerald eyes. "You're the reason my brother is missing." He's silent as I glare at him.

"Tell me, Axel." I say, smoothly. "Why would I ever listen to you?"

When he doesn't answer, I turn and walk out of Demyx's front door.

* * *

**I'm terribly sorry it's so short! D:**

**Also, I've just realized that it's chapter 8 and my story is still sex-less. This is pitiful. Who votes for a lemon in the near future?  
**


	9. Chapter 9

My fingertips brush against the bark of the branches around me. Odd that I should find comfort here. I look out at Axel's house, putting off that inevitable fact that I'd have to go in.

I think of earlier today in Demyx's kitchen, Axel's face. He looked so heartbroken, crushed. I was so hard on him and I had no right to be. I've been in the Organization. I know what they're like, ruthless. I've done my share of awful things against my will.

He took me in. He offered to help me… And I was so cruel to him. I run my hand through my hair, knowing I have to apologize.

"Hey, Blondie…" a sad voice breaks through my thoughts. I yell out in surprise, jumping up onto a higher branch. In the moonlight, I see him trying to hide a small, sad smile.

"I'm sorry." He says. I can't decide which it is he's apologizing for. I swiftly maneuver my way down the tree and softly drop to the ground in front of Axel. I straighten up to look at him.

"Why did you come?" he asks me. I stare at him a moment before looking down.

"I needed to apologize. I—"

"Roxas." Axel shakes his head incredulously. "If anyone should be apologizing…"

"No, I said terrible things to you, when all you did was confide in me like I asked." I look up at him. "If anyone were to understand what the Organization put you through, it should have been me." I look away again.

"Roxas, you shouldn't be apologizing to me." His finger reaches under my chin and lightly pushes my face up to look at him. Our eyes meet for a long moment before I turn my head and absentmindedly put my hand to his chest to stop him.

"But I—" I stop as my fingers graze the soft fabric of Axel's shirt. I'm thrust into a memory of being pressed against the floor by Axel.

_His teeth graze my lower lip. They gently begin to pull on it. I still refuse to let him in. finally, he bites down and a surprised yelp escapes me. He seizes the opportunity and the foreign tongue is in my mouth. My hands tighten around the soft fabric of Axel's shirt…_

I quickly pull my hand away at the memory, almost violently. Axel no doubt mistakes it for more of my anger. I look up, meeting his eyes and see that my fears are correct. I watch his countenance crumble.

"Roxas, I don't know how else to apologize. If I could take it back, I would. If I could trade places with them, I would!" He pleads with me. The words tumble out of his mouth, but I watch as if it's happening in slow motion. A tear slowly rolls down his cheek.

As if detached, I watch as my finger reaches up to halt the tear's motion, my hand lingers on Axel's cheek. Axel's apology slowly trails off. Another hand lightly covers mine, a confused look on Axel's face. I look up to meet his vibrant green eyes. I've never seen so many emotions in such turmoil. I involuntarily lean toward him, lost in the emerald abyss of his eyes. Axel's lips rush down as if to reach mine, but stop short. I hear his breath catch. He slowly closes his eyes a drops his head slightly. Slowly, my fingers find their way into Axel's fiery locks, gently pulling his face back up to mine. I lightly press my lips to his. After a moment, Axel pulls away, completely staggered. I smile at him as I reconnect our lips, my fingers losing themselves in Axel's hair. I feel Axel's large hands on my hips; his thumb plays with the waistband of my pants, causing me to gasp into our lipped embrace. His other hand runs up my torso and over my shoulder, pushing my open cloak down my arm. I shrug out of the other arm and it falls to the ground, pooling around my feet. Axel presses his body up against mine, pushing my back against the tree.

Suddenly, Axel pulls away from the kiss. I clutch at the empty air before me, confused. I look up to see Axel running his hand through his hair, his back to me. At first I think it's out of frustration, but as he turns I notice that he's grinning, laughing even. I look at him questioningly. He looks at me, leans down to land a quick kiss on my lips, and grabs my wrist, pulling me along as he runs toward the house, laughing all the way.

"Axel! What's going on?"

"Demyx!' He yells as he runs through the back door and into the kitchen. "Demyx!" Demyx runs into the room, looking terrified.

"What! What's on fire?" He asks, frantic. Axel giggles. I look at him. Axel just **giggled**. Demyx looks at him, startled, and then his eyes land on me. They light up. "Roxas!" He exclaims. "When did you get back?"

"Jus—"

"Nevermind that now! Demyx! Demyx. What did Marluxia love more than anything?"

"Being an ass?" Demyx answers.

"Besides that!" Axel says. Demyx thinks a moment.

"Himself?"

"Exactly! And how does he show the fact that he loves himself?" Axel leads. Demyx thinks back.

"He buys himself things. Ridiculously expensive and unnecessary things. Like that time he bought an entire new arsenal of scythes. And that time he said he was gunna hire someone to build a mansion for him at the edge of town."

Axel looks at him meaningfully. Demyx gasps.

"LIKE THAT TIME HE SAID HE WAS GUNNA HIRE SOMEONE TO BUILD A MANSION FOR HIM AT THE EDGE OF TOWN. Axel! I heard something about a mansion being built about a year or so ago. Remember? I didn't even think…"

Axel was nodding. And smiling. I realized I was smiling, genuinely smiling. I laughed. And then we were all laughing. I buried my face it Axel's chest. We were going to find Sora.

* * *

**I'm just going to COMPLETELY pretend this didn't take me 8 months to update. I promise it won't be so long ever again. By the way, I'm still alive.**


	10. Chapter 10

Pain. That's my reality; all I know, as I slowly, grudgingly rise to consciousness. I'd much rather bathe myself in the darkness; drown in the abyss where I have no feeling. As it is, I gradually become more aware of my surroundings. I realize my face is pressed into the floor; my left arm is uncomfortably wedged under my body. And pain. I notice the pain, but can't place it. It's everywhere. It has to be. I can't figure out where I am. This isn't good. I hear something. What…what is it? Voices. Someone else is in the room, more than one someone. The mumbling refuses to form into words in my head. I try my best to continue to seem unconscious. I'm definitely not in the basement like I usually am. What happened? Something awful is my guess.

I've been subject to Marluxia's beatings for years now. Or so it seems. Whenever he's angry, he uses me to let out some steam, sometimes even lets his friends join in. At this point I'm pretty good at blocking it out, retreating into myself to escape. This was different though. It's never felt this way before. It had to have been something terrible. He didn't even taunt me beforehand like he often does, trying to get into my brain. Too bad for him, usually by then I've already locked myself inside. This time though…

As I contemplate what might have occurred, the voices become a bit clearer. I recognize Marluxia. He's angry, not a surprise. And another one, one I could never forget. Zexion. How often he sat before me, trying to manipulate and break his way into my mind. Something that they're saying should mean something to me….Roxas! They just said Roxas' name! And another. It's familiar; Axel. They must have spoken about him before. I try to pay more attention to what is being said.

"How? How could he have done this? His own sister?" Marluxia is practically screaming at this point.

"It's not as if it's the first time he's been a traitor." Zexion sounds bored.

"But to murder Larxene?" He exclaims. "That's barbaric!"

I try not to snort at the hypocrisy of him declaring something to be barbaric as I lay face-first in my own blood on his floor. So Larxene is dead. If I said I wasn't rejoicing, it would have been a lie to say the least.

Opening one eye just a slit, I see marluxia clutch Zexion's cloak as he realizes something.

"They'll come here." He says. "Axel and that blonde. They'll be coming for the boy!" My breathe catches as I hear this. I had long since stopped imagining someone coming after me in rescue. Could it be true though? "Call a meeting! The whole of the Organization! As soon as possible. It's only a matter of time before they realize where we must be. We need to leave this place."

"We are talking about Axel, right? The one we left beaten and bleeding in that field?" Zexion questions.

"Axel's not that broken little boy anymore, Zexion. You've no idea what he's capable of. We need to leave."

"But where will we go?" Zexion asks. There's a silence.

"…The castle."

"Surely, you're joking." Zexion whispers. "Castle Oblivion? As soon as Xemnas learns of his daughter's end, he's going to be livid. And you expect to walk in, deliver the news, all the while being in possession of the main REASON for her demise?" Through the slit of my eyes I see him turn his head toward me. "Xemnas will **slaughter** him." Marluxia's hand flashes out to Zexion's chest, pushing him against the wall. As they're distracted, I try move my finger through the dirt of the floor.

"Exactly! What else would you have me do? We need his protection." Marluxia hisses. "And what is this concern for the boy?" He demands. Zexion pushes Marluxia off of him.

"Nothing." He shrugs. "I just never figured you for one to walk a kid to his death." They must've looked toward me. Suddenly, I'm kicked hard in the stomach. I groan as a knee lands on my chest, pinning me on my back.

"What's this, eh?" Marluxia asks, leaning down toward me. "Trying to leave a message for your traitorous brother? I'll tell you now; he's not going to find you. Probably isn't even looking for you." He taunts. It takes all the strength I have to spit in his face. He angrily wipes it off. His hand rises as if to smack me, but is stopped mid-motion as Zexion speaks.

"It's just useless scribblings, Marluxia. No way these mean anything, not to mention no one could possibly make them out." Zexion kicks it, scattering the dirt.

"Yes, well. Call that meeting. We need to leave." Marluxia looks at me. "You're going back downstairs." Marluxia grabs the collar of my shirt and begins dragging me out of the room. As I fight to escape his grip, I look back at the dirt Zexion has just stirred.

Roxas…

* * *

**See? NOT eight months. C: Sorry it's short though. :C**


End file.
